KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed that the reduced majority obtained by its candidate in the Pelangai state by-election last Saturday was due to false accusations made against him.

"In any by-election, if the candidates are attacked with various slanders and issues, it will definitely affect the majority votes obtained by them.

"But what is important is that the victory (in Pelangai) is not small,” he told reporters after launching the Halal On Track programme here on Monday (Oct 9).

He said this when asked to comment on the 50 per cent drop in majority votes obtained by Barisan candidate Datuk Amizar Abu Adam in the Pelangai by-election compared to the votes obtained by its candidate in the general election in November last year.

Amizar won with a majority of 2,949 votes after obtaining 7,324 votes, defeating Perikatan Nasional candidate Kasim Samat who obtained 4,375 votes and independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli who secured only 47 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of its incumbent assemblyman Datuk Seri Johari Harun, 53, in a plane crash in Shah Alam, Selangor, last Aug 17.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Deputy Prime Minister, denied the reduced majority obtained by Amizar reflected the decreasing support for Barisan.

He thanked all component parties of the unity government, Barisan leaders in the state and voters who worked hard to ensure Barisan retained the Pelangai state seat.- Bernama